When I look at the Facebook or Twitter stream of many German-speaking bloggers, I see one thing:
Self-promotion.
That shocks me. I’m really amazed at how little help is given to each other.
I travel a lot in the English-speaking world and notice a big difference.
And it’s not just me who notices it. I talked to some German bloggers and they all agree with me:
In the German blogosphere, everyone only cares about themselves.
There’s just one catch: the whole point of blogging is lost!
Because blogging is a social medium. And social always means with each other.
But let’s take a closer look at the five mistakes.
1. You don’t live a culture of give and take.
You do something for me, I do something for you.
This social principle is hard-wired into our DNA. It’s also called the law of reciprocity.
And I bet with you, your parents taught you that way. It’s just that we German bloggers somehow like to forget it.
The saying is old and worn out. Nevertheless, it’s true: one hand washes the other. No matter if you think it’s basically right or wrong. You just have to internalize it and accept it. The world works like this.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
The other day I went out to dinner with my good buddy Vitali, who is a self-employed financial advisor. He paid.
Immediately after, we went to a bar and knocked back a couple of banana wheats. (Yep, bananas are a main component of my diet).
And guess who got in line to pick up the tab for the wheat? Me.
I asked for it. I felt the “psychological need” to give something back to him.
That kind of togetherness is just harmonious. That’s how life is supposed to be. Not otherwise.
What about you?
2. You don’t comment on other blogs
Now, to start living a culture of give and take, you should comment on other blogs in your niche.
This is the first, easiest and fastest step to building a relationship with a blogger.
Every blogger is happy to receive a constructive comment.
A good example here is Mark Maslow of MarathonFitness. He comments here more often on affenblog, even though it doesn’t do him any good. He’s in a completely different niche.
But he’s a cool guy and a smart blogger. We mastermind monthly. And his comment is just a little sign of life that keeps the friendship going.
I myself started as a total nobody in 2012 and built a relationship with almost every blogger in my niche with the help of comments.
But commenting doesn’t just get you something in the long run.
In the short term, you also get the perfect visitors, who in turn become subscribers and customers.
A clear win-win for everyone.
3. You don’t share the content of other bloggers
Why do many German bloggers not share the content of other bloggers in their niche?
Because everyone fights only for themselves … and doesn’t see the big picture.
Unfortunately, this is exactly the wrong way. That’s not how you build an audience.
TA McCann has created a simple 5-3-2 rule for social sharing:
5 other people's content. 3 own content. 2 personal content.
You need content for your social media profiles. You’re unlikely to have the capacity to post only your own content. And even if: Blogging is sharing! Why don’t you share the content of others?
This will give you even more advantages: You will be perceived as an independent authority in your niche. And not as an egocentric blabbermouth.
Of course, I have an anecdote to go with it. I once thanked Katharina Lewald of Blogging for Smart Women for sharing my content.
What do you think? What did she reply?
I have you to thank! I'm building an audience with your content!
Katharina gets it.
How’s that working out for you?
4. You don’t link to other bloggers’ content.
I regularly link to other bloggers in and out of my niche.
I even write articles that, at their core, do nothing but add value to you and promote other bloggers (while getting attention themselves).
The problem is simply, if you don’t link out, you don’t have a dialogue. And wait, wasn’t blogging always about a dialogue?
Linking out are like little gifts. Everyone is happy to receive them. And in the long run, it affects your Google rankings. So why not give each other gifts? Yes, why not?
Linking to each other is part of blogging etiquette. Please stick to it.
5. You don’t write guest posts for other bloggers.
Guest posts are a quick and easy way to get attention and exposure.
This also has a lot to do with my 50/50 rule on blog article promotion:
50% Create. 50% Promote.
But writing guest posts is a fine art. Depending on the blog, the content may have high standards. And you first have to live up to them.
I’ve had to turn down guest posts a few times because they simply didn’t meet the quality standards of affenblog.
Of course, we haven’t yet reached the proportions we have in the States. There you can write a guest post and get new subscribers in triple digits. Here in the German-speaking world, unfortunately, it’s only double digits at the moment.
But there’s no use crying about it.
We German bloggers have to pull ourselves together. Just keep going. And build the same ratios.
Period.
A wonderful showcase example is my blog colleague Walter Epp from Schreibsuchti. He’s mighty active when it comes to writing guest posts, building a rapidly growing audience.
It is also interesting to note that he has written one of the most popular articles here on affenblog. This brings him permanently new visitors and subscribers. So writing guest posts brings something, right?
No matter where you look. Walter seems to be everywhere.
How’s that working out for you?
Conclusion
Please dear German blogger, throw your ego thoughts overboard.
Write guest posts for other bloggers. Link, share and comment on their content. Live a culture of give and take.
Because I haven’t told you a little secret yet: Your reader isn’t stupid. Your reader also reads your competitor’s blog.
He doesn’t just buy your products, he buys your competitor’s products, too, if they’re different. And even when they don’t differ.
At the end of the day, your reader decides. He sorts the offer. Not you.
That’s why I dream that when I scan through the Facebook or Twitter stream of German bloggers, I see one thing:
Give and take.
Please let this dream come true. We all have something from it.
Source: https://www.chimpify.de/marketing/fehler-deutsche-blogger loaded 13.03.2021. Translated from the German original with www.DeepL.com/Translator